How to See Celebrities and Famous People in New York

Outside of Los Angeles, there's nowhere in the United States where you're going to find more film actors, TV stars, famous musicians, and other celebrities than New York City. Here are a few of the places where you can spot them.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Hot clubs and trendy new restaurants are, as tabloids frequently remind us, a good place to spot celebs. The tricky part is managing to be there at the same time that they are.

2. A more reliable place to find big stars is at the stage door of a Broadway theater. In the 2008-2009 season alone, stars like Katie Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe, Jane Fonda, Will Ferrell, James Gandolfini, Lauren Graham, and many many more appeared in Broadway shows. After the show, as they exit the stage door, these people regularly sign autographs and have their pictures taken by fans. In most cases, you don't even need to see the show - you just have to show up when it's over to spot the stars.

3. Stars can also be seen both coming and going from talk shows that tape here in New York City, such as The Late Show with David Letterman (which films at the Ed Sullivan Theater on 53rd and Broadway), Live with Regis and Kelly (ABC Studios, 67th and Columbus), Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC Studios, Rockefeller Center), and The Daily Show (11th Ave and 51st Street). Most of these shows tape in the late afternoon or early evening, so that's when you would want to hang around the studio. As with Broadway stage doors, celebrities will frequently sign autographs for fans who wait for them on the street.

4. Hanging around TV studios and film sets takes a bit more dedication, but is also a good way to see actors. Some major studios where TV shows tape include Silvercup Studios and Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, as well as the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Film and TV sets also pop up all over Manhattan and other parts of NYC, particularly the ubiquitous Law & Order. To find out in advance when to expect a filming to occur, watch out for postings (usually on a small, brightly-colored piece of paper) around town - usually you'll see a street that has several of these notices taped to street signs, lamps, and buildings. The notice will say what is filming and on which days in that location. Sometimes the message boards for "in production" films listed on the Internet Movie Database will have posts from people who have cited production crews in town.

5. There are numerous "celebrity-heavy" parts of town. Loitering around is no guarantee that you'll see a star, but you may want to lookout in the West Village, which is a favorite residence of movie stars. Many celebs like to frequent the bars in Chelsea and hip restaurants in SoHo and Tribeca. Even tourist-y Rockefeller Center can be a great place to see famous people since that's where Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon, and The Today Show tape.

Tips & Warnings

• A large part of seeing famous folks in NYC is just paying attention. Many of them live in New York, so you could see them shopping or eating out or even riding the subway, just like regular people.
• Think twice before actually approaching a celebrity. At stage doors, studios, and talk shows, they usually expect a little attention, but when they're with their families, enjoying a meal, or appear to be busy, it's usually best (and just plain polite) to leave them alone.